Press release from the Collider:
ASHEVILLE, N.C., Feb. 7, 2019 — The Collider will host the second in its two-part panel series focusing on the fourth National Climate Assessment on Thursday, February 21, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. The discussion will identify some of the impacts climate change is having on cities and highlight the importance of conservancy in creating and maintaining climate resilience.
“In our January panel session, we heard an overview and insights from world-class scientists and authors behind the fourth National Climate Assessment,” says Megan Robinson, Chief Operating Officer at The Collider. “In our February session, we will hear from experts who are translating science within the assessment into actionable intelligence for smart city development and land conservation efforts.”
The Panelists
Experts from the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, NEMAC+FernLeaf and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy — including Tom Maycock, Jess Laggis, Karin Rogers and Matt Hutchins — will be among the panelists.
Tom Maycock has served as the science public information officer for the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS) since September 2014. In addition to managing communications for the Institute, Tom is a science editor with NOAA’s Assessments Technical Support Unit. He was also a lead editor on both Volumes I and II of the fourth National Climate Assessment.
Jess Laggis is a native of Swannanoa who enjoyed growing up on the campus of Warren Wilson College and roaming the nearby mountains. Her strong sense of adventure led her to hike the southern half of the Appalachian Trail, study and work abroad in far-flung places, and finally return home to farm in the Western North Carolina mountains. Jess is currently the Farmland Protection Director for the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC), where she leads efforts to conserve farmland.
Karin Rogers is the Director of Operations and a Research Scientist at UNC Asheville’s National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center (NEMAC), where she works with NEMAC’s federal, local and state partners to deliver and communicate their science for more informed decision making. Her knowledge of environmental science, decision science, and team dynamics help groups use scientific information to better understand and face the challenges of a changing environment. Karin also co-leads the NEMAC Student Intern Program.
Matt Hutchins is a Research Scientist and Environmental Change Project Lead with UNC Asheville’s NEMAC, where he has helped a variety of communities make more informed decisions in the face of climate change and other environmental threats. Matt combines his knowledge in environmental science, climate change and decision science with technical skills to help groups use information to better understand and deal with the challenges they face. Matt specializes in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial databases, web technologies, and vulnerability and risk assessment.
The Fourth National Climate Assessment
On November 23, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) announced the release of Volume II of the NCA4. Volume II, Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States, assesses a range of potential climate change-related impacts, with an aim to help decision-makers better identify risks that could be avoided or reduced. The assessment follows Volume I, the Climate Science Special Report (CSSR), which USGCRP released in November 2017.
Volume II of the NCA4 draws on the expertise of more than 300 authors from federal, state and local governments, industry, academia, tribal organizations and non-government organizations. Its findings are the result of an assessment of over 6,000 unique references, including the CSSR, which provides the climate science foundation for this volume.
About The Collider
The Collider is a nonprofit innovation ecosystem for climate entrepreneurship. We develop, train and fund next-generation entrepreneurs creating breakthrough solutions that enable humanity to adapt and thrive in a changing climate. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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